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Matthias GrunewaldGerman artist and sculptor
Country:
 Germany |
Content:
Biography of Matthias Grünewald
Matthias Grünewald was a German artist and sculptor of the late Middle Ages. He was born in Würzburg between 1460 and 1480. Little is known about Grünewald's life and work, as the documented information is scarce. Recently discovered documents have revealed his true name to be Matthias Godhardt, sometimes also referred to as Nithardt. Thus, his full name is Matthias Godhardt, also known as Nithardt.
Early Life and Career
As a young man, Grünewald chose Zellingerstadt as his place of residence and worked on the Lindengart Altarpiece (Lindengart Parish Church) in 1503. From 1505 to 1508, he created the paintings "Mocking of Christ" (Munich, Old Pinakothek) and "Crucifixion" (Basel). Between 1508 and 1514, he served under Archbishop Uriel von Gemmingen of Mainz. He retained this position under Gemmingen's successor, Archbishop Albrecht of Brandenburg, who entrusted Grünewald with supervising architectural works at Aschaffenburg Castle. In 1511–1513, Grünewald worked on the Heller Altarpiece and the Transfiguration. In 1514, he started the Snow Miracle of Mary Altarpiece, and in 1515, he worked on the painting "Assumption of the Virgin."
The Isenheim Altarpiece
Grünewald's masterpiece, the Isenheim Altarpiece (Colmar, Unterlinden Museum), was completed by 1516. In 1519–1520, he painted the Small Crucifixion (Washington, National Gallery), and in 1522–1523, the Crucifixion and Carrying of the Cross (Karlsruhe, Kunsthalle). In 1523, Albrecht of Brandenburg commissioned him to paint the Meeting of St. Erasmus and St. Maurice (Munich, Old Pinakothek). By 1525, Grünewald had completed the painting "Dead Christ" (Aschaffenburg). In 1526, his position as a court artist was taken over by Simon from Halle, and in 1528, Grünewald was invited to Halle (Saxony) as an artist and hydraulic engineer. He died in Halle before September 1, 1528.
